1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a horse-drawn sulky. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a racing sulky for use in harness racing. Even more particularly, the present invention is directed to a racing sulky which is fully adjustable to fit any suitable horse or driver and which can be adjusted quickly and easily.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Harness racing with sulkies is a popular sport throughout the United States as well as other countries of the world. As understood by one having ordinary skill in the art, a sulky is a two-wheeled horse-drawn cart having a seat for the jockey, or driver, to sit atop. The frame includes a pair of spaced-apart rails extending forward to be harnessed to the horse.
Potential areas of improvement exist with current sulky designs. The two largest variable that can allow any given harness racing horse to post quicker times is to reduce the weight of the sulky, and reduce the distance the horse must run to finish the race. The present invention seeks to improve upon the prior art by addressing these areas of improvement.
However, it is believed that reducing the weight of a sulky in the prior art will unsafely compromise its structural integrity, thereby potentially leading to accidents that can injure both the driver and the horse if the sulky breaks during a race or practice.
Furthermore, in order to reduce the distance the horse must run to finish any given race on a course having turns, there exist sulky designs which have an offset arch and wheels which allow the horse to run closer to the inside of a turn, thereby reducing the overall distance of the race by several lengths. The arch and wheels are offset such that the inside wheel is positioned closer to the horse, thus allowing the horse to run closer to the inside of the turn. However, there are limitations to the degree that sulkies in the prior art can be offset before the inside wheel interferes with the horse during a race, which can potentially result in damage to the sulky or injury to the horse or driver.
Therefore, a need exists for a sulky with a compact and reinforced construction which is lighter than sulkies in the prior art, yet able to withstand the forces encountered during strenuous use, and which is able to allow the horse to race around the turns at a tighter radius in order to reduce the distance that must be ran to finish the race.